Display-trunk.



APPLIOATION FILED DEO. 5,1913.

Patented July 28, 1914.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

a v $1 J) WM? 200 an b w. 09. $1M

NORRIS PET RS CO PHOTO-LITHO., W H NCTON. Dr C.

T. H. STOVALL.

DISPLAY TRUNK.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 5, 1913.

Patented July 28, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

gnventoz THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. Cv

llhllTED STATEg li'lENT OFFICE.

THOMAS H. STOVALL, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO JOHN WALTERS, OF CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

DISPLAY-TRUNK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 28, 1914:.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Tnoams H. STOVALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display- Trunks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to display trunks.

Shoe salesmen are required to carry from place to place a number of shoes as samples for display purposes. The number of samples varies. Generally, a large number oi samples is required and these samples are transported in various ways, generally in trunks of large dimensions. The trunks usually include a large number of trays. The shoes are disposed in various ways in these trays, generally wrapped in paper, cloth or other material. Whether or not the shoes are wrapped, they are displayed to a prospective purchaser by the salesman who very frequently has to remove one tray at a time, and one shoe at a time from each tray, sometimes using the prospective purchasers counter for the purpose. A customer enters the store and the trays must then be removed from the counter. The result that this method of displaying goods is inconvenient and consumes considerable time, tiring out both the salesman and the prospective purchaser and enabling the salesman to see but a few prospective purchasers during the course of a day. This method is laborious, especially since, after all the time required to display the goods, and the inconvenience to the salesman, the latter is compelled to lose further time by collecting his goods, repacking them in the trays and placing the trays back into the trunk. Aside from the fact that a few prospective purcl'iasers can be interviewed during the course of a day, it is a well known fact that many salesmen, in view of the labor involved, do not take the time and trouble necessary to display their goods as completely as their houses would desire them to do, with the result that sales are not as large as they might be and with the further result that many salesmen soon tire of their work, requiring the appointment of new salesmen from time to time.

Very often shoe salesmen use show rooms in hotels and other places for the display of their goods. Aside from the expense involved, it is frequently impossible to get prospective purchasers to leave their places ot' business to visit the show room. In such cases it is necessary for the salesman to take his goods to the prospective purchascrs place of business and display his goods in the manner hereinbcfore stated. There are days, too, when a prospective purchaser cannot spare the time necessary because of the length of time required to display the goods.

it is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a trunk for shoe salesmen embodying among other characteristics features whereby trays are obviated and whereby the samples of various kinds are held in fixed position and all the samples at one time ex 'ieditiously displayed to a prospective purchaser, all without necessarily handling the goods and without using the prospective purcbasers counter.

Another object to provide a display trunk for shoe salesmen embodying among other characteristics features whereby the trunk may be readily and quickly converted into a table for the display of all of the samples carried in the trunk, whereby there is little or no labor involved on the part of the salesman and whereby very little time is necessary in the display of the goods on the part at either the salesman or the prospective purchaser, with the result that the salesman is enabled to visit a number of prospective purchasers in the course of a day because of the tact that it is simply necessary for the salesman to shift various parts of the trunk to convert it quickly into a table and, as quickly, to convert it back from the table to the trunk for transportationpurposes.

A. still further object resides in the provision of a trunk constructed so that it may be readily and quickly converted into a table to display articles carried thereby, the table parts embodying simplicity and constructcd so that the same may be compactly arranged in the trunk for tansportation purposes without removing the articles therefrom, whereby when the trunk is con verted into a table the articles may be displayed without handling the goods.

It is still further designed to provide a combined trunk and table particularly adapted for shoe salesmen and which trunk is so constructed as to enable a salesman to display his shoe samples to a purchaser ex peditiously and with little or no labor, whereby the visit of the salesman is terminated and the business transacted with little or no loss of time and without inconveniencing either the salesman or the prospective purchaser.

WVith the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in, the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, proportion, size and minor details without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved trunk converted into a table. Fig 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section showing one of the table or shoe supporting sections folded and disposed in its compartment of the trunk. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top elevation of one of the shoe supporting sections. Fig. 4 is an end view of the trunk in its folded condition. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail fragmentary views illustrating the catch or holding means designed to hold the supporting legs of the innermost article supporting members against the latter so as to facilitate placing the article supporting sect-ions in the trunk.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, wherein there is shown one embodiment of my invention, the reference character 10 indicates the bottom of the trunk to which ends 11 and 12 are connected.

Midway between the side edges of the bottom 10 and connecting the ends there may be disposed a partition 13 to divide the trunk into separate compartments A and B. The sides 14 and 15 of the trunk carry top sections 16 and 17, respectively, and are hingedly connected in any suitable manner to the side edges of the bottom 10 so that they, with the top sections 16 and 17, may be swung away from the ends 11 and 12 or swung into cooperative relation therewith so as to completely close the compartments A and B.

The characters C and D indicate sets of shoe supporting members each consisting preferably of two members 18 and 19. Each supporting member is preferably provided with means to hold shoes in fixed positions thereon, while being displayed and during transportation. Any suitable means may be employed for this purpose. As shown, however, clips 20 are secured in. any suitable manner to the supporting members for engagement with the soles of the shoes preferably beneath the insteps or between the soles and heels as illustrated.

The sets of shoe supporting members C and D are adapted to be folded and disposed in the respective compartments A and B, as may be seen at the right of Fig. 2. They are also adapted to be spread out with all of the supporting members of both sets ar ranged in elevated horizontal alinement to provide a table for display purposes, as illustrated particularly in Fig. 1. To these ends the inner edges of the supporting members 19 are hingedly connected in any suitable manner adjacent the upper edge of the partition 13 preferably to a strip 21. To the outer end of each supporting member 19 is hingedly connected a leg 22 whose lower end is designed to fit in a socket plate 22 secured to the inner face of the respective side of the trunk whereby the supporting members 19 are held firmly in elevated, horizontal position for display purposes.

The outer end of each supporting member 19 is provided with a shoulder 28 adapted to abut with a similar shoulder 24, carried at the inner end of the respective supporting member 18. The supporting members 18 and 19 of each set C and D are preferably hlngedly connected at the upper edges of the shoulders 2324E so that the supporting members 18 may be swung into parallel relation with the respective supporting members 19 or swung outwardly into horizontal alinement therewith and when swung out into horizontal alinement therewith as illustrated in Fig. 1, each supported by a suitable leg 25, preferably hingedly connected thereto in any suitable manner. The legs 22 fitting in the socket plates 22 are held firmly and prevented from sllpping. Thus in the event that a leg 25 should slip from operative supporting position, the shoulders 23 24 would prevent the corresponding supporting member 18 from falling from its horizontal position.

"When the shoes have been displayed and it is desired to close the trunk all that is necessary is to swing the supporting members 18 over the supporting members 19. This folding of the members 18 over on the members 19 causes the legs 25 to fold on top of the two members 18. The shoes secured on the supporting members 19 are arranged opposite with relation to the shoes secured on the supporting members 18 or, in other words, so that the heels of the shoes on one supporting member will overlie the toes of the shoes on the other supporting members. The person closing the trunk may with one hand support the folded members 1819 of a section CD and with his other hand move the respective leg 22 up i into engagement with the supporting member 19. To aid in this operation I may provide handles 26 and I may also employ a suitable catch or other means to hold the respective legs 22 against the supporting members 19. One form of catch for this purpose may consist of a lever pivoted at 27 to each supporting member 19 and having an operating arm 28 and a locking arm 29 provided with a beveled finger adapted to engage in a notch 31 of the respective leg 22 whereby the person closing the trunk may use both hands to lower the respective folded supporting members 1819 into the respective compartment AB. The fastening means for each leg 22 for this purpose is preferably held in position by a spring 32 so that the fingers 30 will snap into the notches 31 of the legs 22 when the legs 22 are folded against the respective supporting members 19. By movement of the arm 28 of the cat-ch the latter may be moved against the tension of the spring 32 and the finger 30 thereby disengaged from the notch 31 of the leg when it is desired to swing the article supporting sections out of the trunk.

A stop 33 is preferably provided on each supporting member 19 to prevent undue lateral movement of the legs 22 incident to a weakened hinge or for other reasons when the legs are folded against the respective supporting member.

Just as soon as the leg 22 of a display section C-D has been thus positioned the person closing the trunk may by grasping the handles 26 let the folded section down into the respective compartment A-B when the respective members 18 and 19 of the sections will be in spaced parallel relation to each other and to the partition 13. The sides 14. and 15 may then be swung upwardly into closing relation with the ends 1.1 and 12, this operation bringing the top sections 16 and 17 into abutting relation over the strip 21 when the trunk may be locked by any suitable trunk locking means (not shown).

My improved convertible trunk may be of any suitable size and composed of any suitable material. lt is preferably of such a size that it may be readily taken through doors of stores, dwellings or the like. It is not unnecessarily bulky or cumbersome and it is preferably constructed so as to exclude dust from the inside of the trunk during transportation. It may be provided with the usual trunk appurtenances, such for instance as corner shields 34 and fastening studs with which are adapted to cooperate the usual hinged clasps By virtue of my improved trunlt a sales man is enabled to carry a large number of samples in the one trunk. The supporting members which support the shoes in the trunltand which support them for display when. the trunk is converted into a table may be composed of more than two sections to each table.

It is obvious that a salesman may increase or diminish the size of his display table according to whether he removes one or both sections Cl) from the body of the trunk.

It is clear also that the parts are easily operated either to convert the trunk into a table or to convert the table into a trunk.

\Vhat is claimed is:

1. In a display trunk, a bottom, end walls, a partition between the end walls forming compartments, sides hingedly connected to the bottom, a top for the trunk, and sets of article supporting members composed of foldable parts adapted to be folded and dis posed in vertical spaced relation in said compartments and also adapted to be extended into elevated horizontal alinement to provide a display tableand means for sup porting said foldable parts when extended.

2. In a display trunk, a bottom, end walls permanently connected to the bottom, a partition between the end walls 't'orn'iing opposite compartments, sides hingedly connected to the bottom so that they may swing outwardly or inwardly into cooperative relation with the end walls, top section for the trunk carried by said sides, and sets of article supporting incmbers composed of :l'oldablo parts with the innermost part of each set hingedly connected adjacent the upper edge of said partition whereby the parts may be folded and disposed in said compartments and whereby said parts may be unfolded and extended into elevated hori zontal alincment to provide a table, and means for supporting said foldable parts when extended.

3. in a display trunk, a bottom, end walls permanently connected to the bottom, a partition between the end walls forming opposite comliartments, sides hingedly connected to the bottom so that they may swing outwardly or inwardly into cooperative relation with the end walls, top sections for the trunk carried by said. sides, and sets of article supporting members composed of foldable parts with the innermi'ist part of each set hingedly connected adjacent the upper edge of said partition whereby the parts may be folded and disposed in said compartments and whereby said parts may be unfolded and extended into elevated hori zontal alinement to provide a table, and means connected to each foldable part to sup iun't the same when extended.

4-. In. a display trunk, a bottom, end walls permanently connected to the bottom, a partition between the end walls forming oppo site compartments, sides hingcdly connected to the bottom so that they may swing outwardly or inwardly into cooperative relation with the end walls, top sections for the trunk carried by said sides, and sets of article supporting members composed of foldable parts with the innermost part of each set hingedly connected adjacent the upper edge at M of said partition whereby the parts may be folded and disposed in said compartment and whereby said parts may be unfolded and extended into elevated horizontal alinement to provide a table, and a leg hingedly connected to each foldable part so that it may lie flat against the part which it supports when the parts are folded and so that it may be positioned to support the respective part when the latter is extended.

In a display trunk, a bottom, end walls, apartition between the end walls, sides hingedly connected to the bottom, top sections, one top section carried by each side, sets of article supporting members con'ipesed of foldable parts, the parts of each set having shoulders at their abutting edges and at their abutting shouldered edges hingedly connected. together with the innermost part of each set hingedly mounted adjacent the upper edge of said partition so that the parts of each set of supporting members may be disposed in horizontal alinemcnt at right angles to the plane of said partition or be folded and disposed between the end members in substantially parallel relation to said partition, whereby, when the article supporting members are folded and disposed in substantally parallel relation to said partitions, the sides and top sections may be brought into cooperative relation with the ends to thereby inclose the folded article supporting members, the shoulders at the abutting edges of said parts of the supporting members spacing the parts of each set normally away from each other in their folded relation.

6. In a display trunk, a bottom, end walls, a partition between the end walls, sides hingedlyconnected to the bottom, top sec tions, one top section-carried by each side, sets of article supporting members, said members of each set being hingedly connected together with one member of each set being connected to said partition adjacent the upper edge of the latter so that the members of each set may be disposed in horizontal aline ment at right angles to the plane of said partition or be folded inwardly and downwardly and disposed between the end walls in substantially parallel relation to said partition, whereby when the article supporting members are folded and disposed in substantially parallel relation to said partition, the sides and top sections may be brought into cooperative relation with the ends to thereby inclose the folded article supporting members, and means for supporting the article supporting members when unfolded and disposed in horizontal alinement.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS H. STOVALL. lVitnesses JOHN VVALrnns, FRANK R. HURLBUTT.

Copies 02 this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. C." 

